The Winners of the EKA Design Showcase 2025 Design Award Announced

Foto: Meeli Küttim
The Estonian Academy of Arts hosted the EKA Design Showcase gala and the opening of the exhibition celebrating the entrepreneurship cooperation program Laetus on January 23. The Design Showcase, which was held for the eighth time, introduced the best and most exciting recycling and sustainable design projects from the collaborations of the EKA Faculty of Design with several national prides, large companies and organizations such as Bank of Estonia, Granitop, the Ministry of Finance and the City of Tallinn. Two major awards were given for socially and innovatively charged design. The “Social LAETUS Design” award went to the project “Tallinn Housing Lab: co-creating housing solutions for living, not for profit”. The authors of the project are EKA Service Design Master’s students, presented by Agata Kowalska, in collaboration with the Tallinn Strategy Center. Agata Kowalska was delighted: “I am absolutely surprised that I won the award. It was a great experience to work on a client project. An important aspect of the collaboration was that I was able to work on a real topic and do research. It was great to have such good support throughout the process.” The “Innovation LAETUS Design” award went to the project “How to turn production waste into profit and new products?” in a stacked heater. The author of the project is EKA Master’s student in circular design Mart Maide, in collaboration with Granitop AS. Mart Maide, the author of the stacked heater, said: “It was really great and a great opportunity to test myself and implement ideas. This is what I came to the EKA Design Showcase for.” Kristjan Terase, a representative of Granitop: “We have done a lot of experiments with materials such as window sills and stair treads. Here, however, stone was taken up and completely three-dimensional things were made. Often, people thought very far ahead, despite the fact that the topic was still unfamiliar to the students. I definitely recommend that companies cooperate within the framework of the LAETUS program, which helps to develop businesses in different directions. Even if it’s just a layer heater, you can go conquer the world with it! I also recommend LAETUS because the collaboration program creates a lot of fresh new eyes. Talented students help to look at and analyze products in depth, and you can also learn more about yourself.” In addition, the “LAETUS with Innovation” project “Laulasmaa School’s outdoor area design as a multifunctional space” had been singled out for a special mention, the author of which is EKA social design master’s student Kristiina Vähk, in collaboration with Laulasmaa School, architects and the community. Jury member, Secretary General of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Maarjo Mändmaa: “Young people are not doomed, but LOADED (meaning of “laetus” in Estonian)! With great ideas, inventive solutions, and care for the environment and people. I was very pleased and refreshing to participate in the EKA Design Showcase gala, where the best design collaboration projects of students with companies and public sector organizations were presented. Mart Maidre’s granite tile layer heater, which won the Best Innovation Laetus Design award, immediately invites one to build a sauna! The collaboration model of Agata Kowalska, Brenda Salazar, Janis Kesa and Edite Millere, who won the award for the best socially charged design, with Housing Lab Tallinn, which aims to solve the shortage of affordable housing, is an invitation to solve housing problems. Kristiina Vähi’s very likeable idea for the so-called lazy area of ​​Laulasmaa School was also worth mentioning. Dean of the Faculty of Design of the Estonian Academy of Arts, designer Ruth Melioranski: “This time, the exhibition showed how ambitious and diverse the results of EKA design last year are and what potential they still have! This time, we are especially proud that several projects have already reached the implementation phase, that is, they are really getting started with the partners. Of course, we really hope that the layered heater, which is unique in its structure, will successfully reach export markets and repeat or even surpass the previous success story of the HUUM heater, designed by alumnus Mihkel Masso as a student.” The projects have grown out of the LAETUS entrepreneurial collaboration program of the EKA Faculty of Design, which brings together fresh ideas from a new generation of designers and challenges from companies and public organizations. The most impactful and innovative projects will also be awarded. The exhibition opened in the EKA lobby offers an overview of the results of the LAETUS collaborative projects and the success stories of the participating organizations. The exhibition will be open to visitors until February 15, 2025.
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Posted by Andres Lõo
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